A tree downed by high winds rests near a home along Casa Loma Avnue in Yorba Linda, Calif., on Nov. 2. A ferocious and widespread Santa Ana wind event is on track to batter Southern California starting Thursday.

A tree downed by high winds rests near a home along Casa Loma Avnue in Yorba Linda, Calif., on Nov. 2. A ferocious and widespread Santa Ana wind event is on track to batter Southern California starting Thursday.

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The peak should occur from early Thursday into Friday morning.

There could be damaging wind gusts of 80 mph or higher through the Los Angeles and Ventura County mountains. Gusts could reach 60 mph across the wind-prone nearby valleys and coastal areas.

"Wind gusts this strong will be able to topple trees and power lines," weather service meteorologist James Thomas said.

Santa Anas are dry winds that roar into Southern California, usually in fall or winter. The winds come from circulation around nearby high- and low-pressure areas and are often strongest in canyons and valleys as the air speeds up while squeezing through the mountains.

Driving conditions will be hazardous for high-profile vehicles, and blowing dust and sand could lower visibility to near zero in some areas, the weather service warns.

Flight delays are possible at airports in the region because of strong crosswinds and/or blowing dust.

Wildfires are a big worry: The weather service declared the Los Angeles metropolitan area as "critical" for wildfire danger Thursday and Friday. A fire could grow rapidly, fueled by strong winds and extremely low humidity.

CalFire, California's state fire protection service, has increased staffing and resources across the state ahead of the predicted high winds, spokesman Daniel Berlant said Wednesday.

This year, the number of acres burned across the state has been far below average, Berlant said.

He said that although the fuel for wildfires in Southern California contains some moisture from recent cool weather, lack of wind and increased humidity, "the Santa Anas can dry things out very quickly."

Unlike many Santa Ana events, when the dry winds are accompanied by hot weather, this one will feature cool temperatures in the 50s and 60s.

Although California will be the center, wind advisories and warnings are in effect across other Western states, including parts of Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico, Weather Channel meteorologist John Rowe reports.

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